Lamborghini reveals latest topless model – the Huracán Spyder

Lamborghini has ripped the top off its Huracán, turning it into a rival for the McLaren 650S Spyder and the recently-turbocharged Ferrari 488 GTB Spyder. It might not pack turbocharged power like its closest rivals, but the Huracán Spyder LP 610-4 still has a few tricks up its sleeve to help it stand out.

The Huracán Spyder is powered by the same naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter V10 engine as the Coupe, producing 449 kW (610 hp). That's enough grunt to send the Spyder from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 324 km/h (201 mph), just 1 km/h and 0.2 seconds slower than the Huracán LP 610-4 on which it's based.

That's definitely quick enough to ruffle your toupee, but also 0.4 seconds slower to 100 km/h than the new 488 GTB and 650S can manage.

While efficiency may not be high on the list of priorities for Huracán buyers, Lamborghini has still worked to save fuel Thanks to start/stop technology and cylinder deactivation, the car still returns a combined fuel use figure of 12.3 l/100 km (19.1 mpg).

It's not exactly a Prius, but compared to the 13.8 l/100 km (17 mpg) achieved by the old Gallardo Spyder, it's an improvement.

Whenever you take the roof off a car, you create a whole set of problems around weight and stiffness, because, by removing a major structural element, you're forced to add weight in the form of bracing that can ruin handling and performance.

In a car like the McLaren 650S, with its carbon fiber tub and strong structure, there's not all that much bracing that needs to be added, but for a sports car like a the Huracán with a more conventional construction, that means lots of weight and bracing. In this case, the Spyder weighs 122 kg (269 lb) more than the Huracán Coupe.

On the styling front, the Spyder has undergone a number of changes compared to the Coupe. The soft top can be had in black, brown or red and folds up in just 17 seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph). When it's not in use, the roof hides beneath a cover that also includes movable fins for a coupe-like profile.

When you're enjoying the wind in your hair you don't want too much blustering and blowing around in the cabin so Lamborghini has designed a simple wind brace to cut down on buffeting, as well as removable lateral wind deflectors. The fins on the back of the car also direct air through the engine bay, which will cut down on wind noise and improve cooling at high speeds.

On the move, the Huracán has been designed to effectively create downforce without the need for big, ugly spoilers, which means it has a flat underbody and a large diffuser at the rear, helping to create 50 percent more downforce than the car it replaces.

Inside, not much has changed from the Huracán Coupe. You get the same virtual cockpit and the same flamboyant center console, albeit with a whole lot more sky.

The Huracán Spyder LP 610-4 will set you back €186,450 (about US$211,000), with deliveries to begin in Spring 2016.